Free Seduced by Her Highland Warrior by Michelle Willingham

truth?’
    â€˜It’s the truth,’ Nairna insisted. ‘Theirs, not yours.’
    She still wasn’t convinced, but Nairna had more experience with handling merchants and selling items. With a shrug, Laren acceded, ‘I suppose.’
    â€˜Leave all of the bargaining to me. You simply measure for the windows and talk about what colours they want. And do not , under any circumstances, tell them that it’s simply a loch.’
    Laren smiled and Adaira came forwards, crawling intoher lap. Her daughter snuggled her face against her chest, and Laren held her close. There was a slight shadow of wistfulness upon Nairna’s face and Laren knew her sister-in-law wanted a child of her own.
    â€˜I’m glad you’re here, Nairna,’ she said. ‘And I hope we can profit from the glass, however slight it may be.’
    â€˜It won’t be slight. I promise you that.’ Nairna took Adaira from her, lifting the child into her arms. She murmured sweet words to the bairn, nestling Adaira’s cheek against her own.
    â€˜How is Bram?’ Laren asked as they walked around the far side of the loch.
    â€˜He hasn’t forgotten the years he spent imprisoned.’ Nairna shifted the child’s weight to her opposite hip. ‘And he’s angry that Lord Harkirk still holds some of our countrymen captive. He talks of trying to free them.’
    Laren shuddered at the thought of the men going off to fight again. She didn’t want Alex endangering himself, not so soon after this battle. ‘We have to keep our men here,’ she insisted. Though she was afraid of the hardships ahead, it would be easier to manage if they stood together. ‘They can’t go off to fight. Not until we’ve rebuilt Glen Arrin.’
    Nairna squeezed her hand and there was a silent promise between them. They would find a way to earn coins from the glass and pray God it would be enough.
    Â 
    The men were unloading stones from the wagons. Laren watched as they began forming a foundation while other workers built up walls around the outer perimeter of the fortress. She went to join the other women and they worked with the smaller stones, placing them into a dry stone wall. Her side ached, but her girls were eager to join in. Theygathered pebbles, tucking them into crevices, believing they were helping.
    Laren wiped her brow and cast a glance at the other men. Her husband was directing the construction and he wore nothing from the waist up. Neither did his brothers, nor their kinsmen. They were sweating from the hard labour and none appeared to notice the cool weather.
    â€˜I want a drink, Mama,’ Mairin informed her.
    â€˜I’ll get you one.’ Laren took the girls by the hand and led them forwards, dipping a wooden cup into a barrel that held water from the loch. They shared it between them and Laren filled it again, intending to take it to Alex.
    When she passed by the women, she saw them watching her. Though it made her uncomfortable, she turned back and explained, ‘The men will be thirsty.’
    â€˜For water?’ Vanora scoffed. ‘Ross’ll be wanting mead or ale.’ But after Laren’s suggestion, she, too, filled her cup until most of the women trailed behind, approaching the men. It felt awkward to her, having the others follow her example.
    As Laren drew closer to her husband, mixed emotions of uncertainty and regret grew, centred inside her. Last night had begun almost as though Alex had wanted to start again, to mend the lost years. But as soon as she’d started to tell him why she spent time in the cavern, he’d focused only on her shyness.
    Once, he’d loved her enough that it hadn’t mattered. Now, she was afraid that he regretted marrying her. And she didn’t know if she could be the wife he needed.
    Before she reached her husband, her path was blocked by two of their kinsmen engaged in their own conversation. ‘He’s